Devils 8, Lightning 2

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The New Jersey Devils made the most of their week in sunny Florida.

Viktor Kozlov had a goal and four assists, and the Devils beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-2 on Friday night.

Kozlov set career highs for points and assists in one game, helping the Devils sweep two games in Florida. New Jersey, which spent most of the week in the Tampa area, beat the Panthers 5-1 on Wednesday.

``You can wish for nights like these, but it was a lot better to see everybody chipping in and coming away with a win,'' Kozlov said.

New Jersey got two goals each from Alexander Mogilny and Sergei Brylin. Mogilny has three since returning Wednesday after missing four games with a concussion.

``The last couple of weeks you've seen this team starting to turn the corner,'' Mogilny said. ``It feels good to see us playing like we know we can.''

Former Devils coach Pat Burns, who has cancer, made the trip from his home in southwest Florida to attend the game. He talked with coach Larry Robinson and some of the players after the victory.

``It was nice to win one for him,'' Robinson said.

Fredrik Modin and Martin St. Louis scored for Tampa Bay. The defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning had a four-game winning streak end. The last three victories came on a road trip.

``It always seems that the first game back from an extended trip throughout the league is a struggle and I could sense it in the pregame skate,'' Lightning coach John Tortorella said. ``It certainly showed up in our game. I don't think it's the guys coming in and not wanting to work and being lazy. I'm not going to overanalyze it.''

The Devils scored on four of their first seven shots against Tampa Bay goalie Sean Burke in taking a 4-0 lead 13 minutes in.

Mogilny redirected Kozlov's pass through the crease for a 1-0 lead at 4:05. Scott Gomez's backhander at 9:52 and a low-slot goal by Brylin just 1 minute, 5 seconds later made it 3-0.

Brian Gionta put New Jersey ahead 4-0 with 7:07 left in the first. He has scored a goal in four consecutive games.

Modin cut the Tampa Bay deficit to 4-1 at 17:09.

After Gionta had his penalty shot stopped by Burke at 3:29 of the second, Mogilny expanded the Devils' advantage to 5-1 at 5:41.

St. Louis scored 70 seconds later, and Kozlov ended the night for Burke with a breakaway goal at 9:13. Burke, who allowed six goals on 17 shots, was replaced by John Grahame.

Brylin extended the Devils lead to 7-2 with 3:02 remaining in the second.

New Jersey got a third-period goal from Jamie Lagenbrunner.

``Everybody contributed,'' Gomez said. ``It was a fun game to watch.''

After several hard checks in the waning moments, all 10 skaters on the ice were involved in a scrum along the center ice boards after Tampa Bay's Cory Sarich and New Jersey's Zach Parise squared off with 2:24 left.

Brylin was originally given a kicking penalty and a game misconduct. After the game it was changed to a game misconduct for being the third man in. Sarich was given a five-minute penalty for kneeing. Parise got a double minor for high sticking.

Notes: Tampa Bay (9-2-3) lost for the second time in 14 games against the Devils. ... Gomez has five goals and 12 points during a seven-game point streak. ... Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk has not scored a goal in 14 games. The left wing, who has 636 career goals, scored both this season on Oct. 26 at New Jersey. ... The Devils acquired D Brad Ference from Phoenix for three minor leaguers. Ference was assigned to Albany of the AHL. ... Lightning C Brad Richards had two assists, giving him eight assists and 11 points during a nine-game point streak.